Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Though the New Theological
Movement blog rarely enters into matters liturgical or rubrical, preferring to
consider the more profound theological foundations, the re-introduction of the
use of black vestments in parish life seems to us to be so important to the
renewal of the faith of the people (at least in the USA, though most likely
throughout the world) that we must devote a post to this cause.

In the Novus Ordo – that is, the ordinary form of the Roman Rite which is
celebrated in most parishes in the USA (in English) – there is no reason why
black may not be used regularly. In the usus
antiquior – the extraordinary form – black vestments remain mandatory for
certain Masses. Let us consider the theological points first, and then we will
make a few practical conclusions.

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Today we celebrate the feast of
Sts. Simon and Jude. While Simon was from Cana and is called the Zealot, Jude is
known as Thaddeus. This “Jude” is distinct from Judas the Iscariot who betrayed
our Lord – this “Jude” is among the “brethren of the Lord”, a cousin of our
Savior.

One small disappointment about
the new translation is in the rendering of St. Jude’s name in the list of the apostles
in the Roman Canon. While the Latin sates Thaddaei,
the English reads “Jude”. Certainly, Thaddeus is the same Jude brother of James,
the author of the last biblical epistle. Yet, it is rather disheartening that
the new English translation follows the old in changing the name from
“Thaddeus” to “Jude”.

When we consider the meaning of
the name (or rather, the nickname) “Thaddeus”, we will see why the Church has
chosen to invoke the Saint under this title during the Mass – and why the
English ought to follow this tradition.

Friday, October 26, 2012

No
one takes this honor upon himself but only when called by God, just as Aaron
was. In the same way, it was not Christ who glorified himself in becoming high
priest.

While St. Paul, in his Letter
to the Hebrews, generally distinguishes our Savior from Aaron (showing that the
priesthood of Christ is greater than that of Aaron), in this place the Apostle
emphasizes this point of similarity between the Levitical priesthood and the
eternal priesthood of Jesus.

Namely, St. Paul tells us that,
just as Aaron was called and ordained a priest, so too was our Lord. For no man
can be a high priest of himself, but only when he is so called by God.

When, we ask, was Jesus called
and ordained to the priesthood? When did he become a priest?

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

And
Raphael the angel answered: I am Azarias the son of the great Ananias. (Tobit
5:17,18)

There are three angels
mentioned by name in the Canonical Scriptures – Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael.
The last of these is explicitly present only in the book of Tobit, while Michael
is reference in three books (Daniel, Jude, and Revelation) and Gabriel in two
(Daniel and Luke).

While all the archangels (named
and un-named) are celebrated on September 29th in the post-Vatican
II Liturgy, St. Raphael has traditionally been commemorated on October 24th.

We do well to consider today
not only the significance of Raphael’s name and his role in the Scriptures, but
also the difficult question of whether he told a falsehood when he presented
himself as Azarias the son of the great
Ananias.

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Jesus
said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that
I drink or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” [James and
John] said to him, “We can.”

The sons of Zebedee, by way of
their mother, request of the Savior to be seated one on his right and the other
on the left in his kingdom. The good Jesus, seeing their zeal (for which reason
they were called the “Sons of Thunder”) and recognizing their need for yet
further purification, calls these two apostles to lay down their lives in
service of the Gospel.

James and John were the first
of the apostles to ask for the cup of martyrdom, and each received that cup in
a privileged manner.

Thursday, October 18, 2012

During the month of October, we
thank God for giving us the Most Holy Rosary through our Blessed Lady. Have you
ever noticed that the Rosary is based more on the writings of St. Luke than on
those of any other biblical author?

This is part of what makes the
Rosary such a precious prayer – it is one of the best ways of meditating upon
Sacred Scripture and is, thereby, a means of entering into truly contemplative
prayer. Recognizing the scriptural roots of the Rosary, we might even call it “St.
Luke on a chain”.

Monday, October 15, 2012

St. Teresa of Avila is the “Doctor
of Prayer”, most especially for her classic work on Christian prayer, “The
Interior Castle”. However, while many people desire to grow in the life of
prayer, they are often confused as to what must be done. How do I pray well?
What method should I use?

Sadly, many modern(ist)
Catholics (including even some priests) have turned to eastern forms of
meditation – like centering prayer or yoga – rather than to the true tradition
of Christian prayer. If we understand St. Teresa’s key insight about prayer and
the interior life, we can clearly see how far eastern meditation is from true
prayer.

Thursday, October 11, 2012

In
this Year, then, the Catechism of the Catholic Church will serve as a tool
providing real support for the faith, especially for those concerned with the
formation of Christians, so crucial in our cultural context. (Pope
Benedict XVI, Porta Fidei 12)

The Year of Faith, called by
Pope Benedict, extends from 11 October 2012 to 24 November 2013. Beginning on
the fiftieth anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council and also
on the twentieth anniversary of the promulgation of the Catechism of the
Catholic Church, the Year of Faith will conclude with the Feast of Christ the
King 2013.

During this Year, the Holy Father
desires a renewed study of our faith, especially through a return to the
Catechism of the Catholic Church. However, this Catechism is over five hundred
pages long (and nearly three thousand paragraphs) – How, then, might one
approach such a large and theologically daunting book?

Sunday, October 7, 2012

Today is the great feast of our
Lady of the Most Holy Rosary. This feast commemorates the most important naval
battle in human history – a battle which, if lost, would have left Rome as the
new Istanbul and St. Peter’s as a second Hagia Sophia.

For the history of this feast,
consider a good article from Catholic Culture [here],
and the poem of G.K. Chesterton [here].

Our Lady has saved the world
through the Rosary, and she desires to do so again. More particularly, in our
own day, there can be no doubt that our Lady wants to save the world through
the Family Rosary. But how can a family succeed in the practice of the Family
Rosary?

Thursday, October 4, 2012

The Poor Man of Assisi is often
called the Mirror of Christ, for he was as another Christ (alter Christus)
present among us. St. Francis was a true Christian, “Christ-like” to the core.

G.K. Chesterton, in his
excellent work on the Saint, makes the following observation (very much in his
classic, witty fashion): If St. Francis is said to be like Christ, then Christ
must necessary be just so much like St. Francis.

The following paragraphs are
excerpts from the eighth chapter of G.K. Chesterton’s excellent biography of
St. Francis (which can be read online [here]).

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

For
he hath given his angels charge over thee; to keep thee in all thy ways (Psalm
90:11)

“From its beginning until
death, human life is surrounded by their watchful care and intercession. ‘Beside
each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life.’
Already here on earth the Christian life shares by faith in the blessed company
of angels and men united in God.” (CCC 336)

A plethora of questions may
well be asked about guardian angels. We have attempted to discuss some of these
in a previous article [here].

However, we did neglect to
answer one question which is probably most common: Can my guardian angel (or
any angel, for that matter) know the secret thoughts of my soul? Does my angel
know everything I am thinking? Co-relatively, Does Satan or any of the demons
know all that passes within my soul?